No Such Thing As a Bad Author

[JackSkellington]

I think with the case with most young adult authors- they can get away with many mistakes, due to the fanbase loving the series no matter what (in many cases at least). Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games and many more are great examples of this. I enjoyed the Harry Potter series but I know it's very flawed. I haven't read it in ages- so I think if I read it now I would notice more of the mistakes. I've realized most books geared towards young adults are horrible writing at times. It feels like the authors are bad and/or just think the readers wont notice. Plus $$$ comes into play. If the book does well- they get paid anyway, even if it's flawed. Plus then they can do a sequel or two.. or 3 or more- and many people will buy into it.

Authors that focus more on adults aren't always better though. Many mistakes in Stephen King books. Many of his books are long and honestly don't need to be. I consider many of his books just "cluttered long messes". He has a huge fanbase- so many of his readers will enjoy stuff no matter what. Or they will point out flaws but still buy each book. I think it's important to critique things you love because people don't do that and think things are "perfect" but they aren't.

Much of what I have said can apply to movies, music and video games too. People enjoy a certain movie series/director/actor/band/singer/game series so much that they don't mind flaws. Many people "collect" things to have a complete collection even if some of it is bad. I understand why they do it to a point but if you don't like something.. it feels like a waste of money to buy it.

 

[Riley]

I guess your right. But her work is what keeps me justified in liking the movie Suicide Squad. I cite hers, Riordan's, and even Bryan Davis's writing as influences to the movie. Without that, I'm another vapid brat who doesn't read comic books.

I stay positive about most writers. Even Laurell K. Hamilton. To me, writing a mini-rant isn't *exactly* as bad as being a bigot or challenging your critics to a boxing match. And her habit of not reading reviews makes some sense, seeing as there ARE authors who can see even the best, well-written piece of constructive criticism as a personal attack on them.

I'm just glad you have a valid point. I respect valid points.

 

[balsabonbon]

Good and bad authors (like most things overall) are very subjective. There is many many best selling authors I do enjoy, while there is many I don't enjoy. People will like what they want.

I agree. I also think that there is DEFINITELY such a thing as a bad author, but does it really matter if an author is a bad author or not if people enjoy reading their work? I guess it really depends on why that author is writing. Are they writing to make money? Are they writing to make people laugh? Are they writing to teach a lesson? Perhaps they're writing to tell their own story? As long as the author gets what he/she wants out of putting all that effort into writing, what does it matter what anyone else thinks?

 

[WereBear]

Stephen King is along the same lines. He has a lot of good ideas so I guess on that front he deserves the credit, but he has a habit of going to over the top in the last act and letting his bitter and spiteful attitudes get into his work. Some of that is probably down to most of his most famous books being written when he was on drugs and booze, though. Some of them he doesn't even remember writing. Subjectively I kind of like him because he has those interesting ideas and can show a good understanding of fear and imagery at times but objectively his writing isn't that great.

As a fan, I can say that yes, he needs a fearless editor: his best stuff -- as literature -- is actually the shorter ones, like his novellas and the novel Misery.

But ones like It and The Stand, big sprawling things (he put the original Stand on ebook because it is gigantic) that are rude and throw up on the carpet -- I love those too, in a different way. It's a fascinating world that he would like to explore in depth and I am happy to go along.

Because he has narrative drive. The power of telling a good story and keeping me up to finish it -- that's a skill, too. And he's got it.